Beautiful Butterflies. 71 



When you have captured it, give it some of the 

 seeded tops of the plants, for this is the part which it 

 seems to prefer. By and by it will turn into a chry- 

 salis of a greyish brown colour, having golden spots 

 sprinkled over it ; the back is rough and ridgy, the tail 

 end sharply pointed, and the opposite end bearing a 

 remarkable resemblance to the snout and head of a 

 miniature pig. 



It is generally at the latter end of August or begin- 

 ning of September that this beautiful fly makes its 

 appearance, in its new suit all fresh and glossy, and it 

 generally disappears by the end of October ; a few, it 

 seems, manage to get into some snug hole or crevice, 

 and live through the winter, coming out again for a 

 short time in the spring, but with wings sadly rubbed 

 and faded — insects which "have seen better days." 

 Usually, however, the life of the gallant Admiral, is, as 

 short as it is, no doubt, merry. 



But why is it called Vanessa ? why Atalanta ? Let 

 us see if we can find it out. The first you know is the 

 generic name, and the genus to which it is applied, in- 

 cludes some of the most common, as well as the most 

 beautiful of the British species; several of them we 

 shall presently describe. Our business is now with the 

 Red Admiral, or Alderman, as he is sometimes called, 

 because, perhaps, aldermen once wore, and in some 

 places still do wear, scarlet gowns edged with brown 



